Earlier this month in Spain, at the World Conference on Lung Cancer – a gathering of over 7,000 participants from more than 100 countries – I had the incredible honour of becoming the first Indian 🇮🇳 to receive the STARS Award.
This recognition was not just a personal milestone but a moment that represents the growing voice of patients and advocates from India and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) on the global stage.
During the conference, I had the privilege to:
~ Participate in panel discussions with leading experts, where I spoke about the realities, challenges, and hopes of patients in India and LMICs.
~ Present my first-ever academic poster at world lung cancer conference : “Advancing Lung Cancer Advocacy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries”, based on important work and studies from the African region.
These moments were humbling reminders of why advocacy matters – to ensure that the voices of patients are heard, their struggles understood, and their needs addressed.
I am deeply grateful to my friends and colleagues across the patient advocacy, medical, biopharmaceutical, and research communities in India and worldwide.
I also extend heartfelt thanks to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) for this recognition and for creating such meaningful opportunities for advocates like me.
As India’s first ‘Patient Research Advocate’ in oncology, this award strengthens my commitment to keep pushing forward – to improve lung cancer care, support research, and champion patient advocacy, especially in countries where resources are limited.
This journey is not mine alone – it belongs to every patient, caregiver, and advocate working tirelessly to make a difference. 💙🌍
#WCLC2025 #PatientAdvocacy #ResearchSavesLives #LungCancer #RiseToSurviveCancer #ALKPositiveIndia
In memory and love of Kusum Malik Tomar
Vivek
Rise To Survive Cancer 